The Tech Garden announced today that it will be honoring incubation pioneer Samuel W. Williams, Jr. at a luncheon event on February 11, 2009. The Tech Garden will dedicate its "Hothouse" early stage incubation facility in memory of Mr. Williams.

Sam Williams, as his many friends and associates knew him, was formerly president and chairman of O'Brien and Gere, the Syracuse based engineering firm, and served on innumerable business and local not-for-profit boards, among them the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Williams while working with the Chamber in the early 1980's led the effort to develop a business incubator facility for Greater Syracuse. He realized that Central New York's economic vitality would be fueled by home-grown entrepreneurial ventures. His enthusiasm for and belief in the need for a business incubation center garnered community and financial support resulting in the construction of the center beginning in 1985.

The Greater Syracuse Business Center opened its doors in 1986 and through Williams' diligence quickly reached its potential capacity resulting in an expansion completed in 1990. In 1991 the facility was rededicated as the Samuel W. Williams Jr. Business Incubator Center in recognition of his advocacy for early stage business development and his devotion to fostering economic growth by building locally home-grown companies and providing them with the tools for success.

Sam Williams passed away in July of 2008 at the age of 87. He will be remembered for many years to come as a person who shared his knowledge and experience freely with Business Center tenants and helped them to develop the means to build prospering businesses. It is in that spirit that the Tech Garden dedicates its early stage incubation facility in his name.

Paul Brooks, vice president of entrepreneurship programs at the Tech Garden said, "Sam Williams was a legend in this field and while we recognize him as a local pioneer in business incubation, he was also recognized nationally as one of the early innovators in business development methods. We are delighted to honor his memory in this way."

The Tech Garden is a program of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce. The Tech Garden mission is to stimulate high-tech entrepreneurship, foster the development of emerging growth companies and support technology commercialization throughout the region. Start-up technology businesses are offered business plan assistance, mentoring and marketing advice, targeted referrals, networking opportunities and state-of-the-art office space from which to grow their businesses.
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Contact:
Paul Brooks, VP of Entrepreneurship Programs, Syracuse Technology Garden
235 Harrison Street
Phone: (315)474-0910, x2918 Syracuse, NY 13202